With the big push for waterproof devices seeing more smartphones and tablets hiding their ports away, there’s more reasons than ever not to connect USB devices. But without doing so, backing up files or accessing media on the go isn’t quite so easy – unless you use a SanDisk USB media server stick.
The newly released device, available in capacities from 16GB right up to 128GB, expands the company’s already existing range of wireless USB sticks, offering a higher maximum storage capacity and extended battery life, up from a quoted four hours to four and a half hours. The new shell gives it a sleek look too, though that may be for marketing reasons more than anything else.
Supporting the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard, the Sandisk drive can have up to three devices streaming HD content or music at any one time. It’s compatible with iOS (8.0 or later) and Android (4.2 or later), as well as standard PC and Macs. It works with applications from Android, iOS and Amazon Fire smartphones and tablets, so they’re near-universally compatible.
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If you’re feeling old school, you can even bypass the Wi-Fi connection altogether and plug it straight into a USB supporting device. It only has a USB 2.0 connector, though, so performance won’t be stellar.
“We live in an era where we are truly living a mobile lifestyle. We use our devices to capture life’s moments, and work in a way that was never before possible – all of which has created the need for a new generation of mobile storage,” said Dinesh Bahal, VP of product management at SanDisk. “The SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick is designed to give people a simple, intuitive way to save and access all of the great content they create and consume across multiple devices, without breaking the bank.”
Priced between $30 and $100, the SanDisk Wireless Media Server is available now from select retailers.